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William Kofoed | + Follow Poet |
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Morning Field

As the sun peaks up into the sky
	the blue pickup truck goes down the dusty road
to the field that barren laid
	and the red tractor waiting there

father and son in blue jeans clad
	walked from the truck across the land
to the job are waiting for them there
	to begin a new as such in every year

so big the wheels with cleats deep
	red painted steel and rubber so black
the scent of grease and of used oil
	and dust that tickled and teased the nose

black painted seat with flecks of rust
	up so high to be rode
so many petals and levers there
	hard black rubber wheel oh so wide

father climbs up and takes his seat
	reaches down and lifts up his son
setting him down upon his knee
	reaches down and turns the key

a lever is moved a throttle to set
	the choke pulled out to just right there
a round pedal then depressed
	and with a grind the engine starts

moving levers the plow is raised
	with hiss of hydraulics and squeaks of steel
depress the clutch and shift into gear
	increase the throttle and ease off the clutch

and with a lurch the tractor moves
	heading out into the field
the father steers the boy watches
	as they move to where to begin

stopping there lowering the plow
	the father says he’ll do the first
then coming back he’ll let his son
	plow furrows in the field

back and forth in the rising sun
	the scent of soil freshly turned
birds that land where they had been
	seeking the worms now exposed

and at noon they take a break
	for tuna sandwiches and paper wrapped
a big thermos of still cold milk
	and for apples fresh and red

working on in light of sun
	through the day both long and hot
till the sun touches again the land
	at end of day before work is done

leaving the tractor in the field
	walking back into their truck
the first of many days are now done
	as they get in and drive away

another day for father and son
	as they work in light of sun
sharing together the joy of the land
	and the working of it which is their life’s

Copyright © William Kofoed | Year Posted 2020

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